trouble with rear tires

[captbrian03]

I own a 2004 Marauder and now have to replace the rear tires for the third time. They are BFGoodrich and I've been getting less than 20,000 miles out of them. They wear in the center and not the inside or outside threads. Have been to several different tire shops aand dealers and can't get a difinitive answer as to why this is happening. No, I do not spin the wheels at take off and I keep the tires inflated at about 31 lbs. Is there a different brand that might wear better. I have new tires on the front that have about 6000 miles on them and they look like they have no wear at all. I just had the front end alligned and tires rebalanced to fix a slight vibration at 75. Car now handles better, tracks better and no vibration but I want to fix that rear tire problem. Car just turned 50,000 miles.
Thanks, CaptBrian

[ckadiddle]

Hi Capt!

That is "normal" wear for the rears. Rears wear in center and look fine on outer edges, fronts wear on outer edges and look fine in the middle. Heavy car plus soft compound performance tires equals new tires every twenty thousand miles or so.

The factory equipment KDWS tires I had to replace at around 23000 miles, I changed to KDW2 and am tire shopping again at 45000 miles. Majority of my driving is city with very few highway miles. Some guys get better mileage out of their tires than I do, but I suspect they have a bit more highway driving than I do.

There are a few other tires available in the wierd sizes that we need, but most of those options are even more expensive than the BFGs.

The beast eats tires, but it sure is a lot of fun to drive.

[jonroe]

I know lots of people have that problem but not everyone. I wonder why that is. I now have 42,200 miles on my first set of rears. They have that wear pattern in the center but they are not quite worn out yet. I am replacing them in a week or so but I suspect they could go another 5,000 miles. So, in my case, 47,000 would be acceptable. I run 35 psi always.

[Bluerauder]

I own a 2004 Marauder and now have to replace the rear tires for the third time. They are BFGoodrich and I've been getting less than 20,000 miles out of them. They wear in the center and not the inside or outside threads. Have been to several different tire shops aand dealers and can't get a difinitive answer as to why this is happening. No, I do not spin the wheels at take off and I keep the tires inflated at about 31 lbs. Is there a different brand that might wear better. I have new tires on the front that have about 6000 miles on them and they look like they have no wear at all. I just had the front end alligned and tires rebalanced to fix a slight vibration at 75. Car now handles better, tracks better and no vibration but I want to fix that rear tire problem. Car just turned 50,000 miles.
Thanks, CaptBrian
Don't think that you are gonna get much more than 21,000 to 25,000 miles on the rear BFGs if you tend to "get on it" even occasionally. 31 psi is too low. I run 35 psi fronts and 38 psi rears. That seems to improve tire wear a little and more even across the rears.

There is a long list of posts here regarding the center wear issue on the rears. Pump up the pressure. I know this is counter to everything you have heard about indications of "overinflation" but the MM rears respond differently. Don't quite know why -- but I don't argue with nearly 5 years of experience here and something that works.

Do a search on "carfixer's alignment specs" for your alignment issue. Marauder alignment is different than the GM or the CV. Some shops don't know this. Carfixer's alignment specs are pretty much gospel here on the MM.Net.

[MitchB]

I own a 2004 Marauder and now have to replace the rear tires for the third time. They are BFGoodrich and I've been getting less than 20,000 miles out of them. They wear in the center and not the inside or outside threads. Have been to several different tire shops aand dealers and can't get a difinitive answer as to why this is happening. No, I do not spin the wheels at take off and I keep the tires inflated at about 31 lbs. Is there a different brand that might wear better. I have new tires on the front that have about 6000 miles on them and they look like they have no wear at all. I just had the front end alligned and tires rebalanced to fix a slight vibration at 75. Car now handles better, tracks better and no vibration but I want to fix that rear tire problem. Car just turned 50,000 miles.
Thanks, CaptBrian

Lower your rear tire pressure. Try maybe 29 psi and then keep an eye on them.

Mitch

[FordNut]

There is a long list of posts here regarding the center wear issue on the rears. Pump up the pressure. I know this is counter to everything you have heard about indications of "overinflation" but the MM rears respond differently. Don't quite know why -- but I don't argue with nearly 5 years of experience here and something that works.

Do a search on "carfixer's alignment specs" for your alignment issue. Marauder alignment is different than the GM or the CV. Some shops don't know this. Carfixer's alignment specs are pretty much gospel here on the MM.Net.

Yep, right on the money on both accounts. I run 38-40 on the rears and they wear much better. Seems bass-ackwards but after experimenting with several sets of rear tires I found it to be true.


Lower your rear tire pressure. Try maybe 29 psi and then keep an eye on them.

Mitch

That makes it worse. Been there, done that.

[ctrlraven]

Yeah I run 35 in the front and 37 in the rear. I have the 255/55 kdw2 and they have worn pretty well even for the past 20k+ miles that I have put on them and that's with a good amount of burnouts and using them at the track. Glad I bought 4 of them from Wes. Now I just need to buy some new fronts before I put the stockers back on in the spring.

[SID210SA]

I got 43,000 out of my rears using 38psi and I do some spirited driving. I know have 17,000 on my second set of rears and they still look pretty good....but I now have a tune and JLT so I imagine that they will not last as long as the first set.

[Local Boy]

Less tire presure will allow the tire to "bulge" at the center when spinning at high speed (ie: Top fuel dragsters rears expanding during burn outs...)

38 lbs on the rears will help the side walls hold the center from "bulging" better...

ALOHA

[Bobmiddle]

+1^^ Local Boy I think you are right on with your coment.

[BAD MERC]

Since I've had my Marauder - I average 4000 miles for a set of rear tires.

[RF Overlord]

^^^what they said about increasing tire pressure^^^

It was even posted in the forum on the BFG site that these tires need a lot more pressure when used on the rear and that they run counter to normal thinking...i.e. if the middles are wearing, add MORE pressure. That's one reason Ford upped the tire pressure specification for the '04s from 32 to 35.

captbrian, 31 is way too low...try 36-38.

[BLACKMARAUDER04]

Actually, you should increase rear tire pressure on the Marauder to 38-40 psi. I actually keep mine at 35, knowing I will only get 16-18,000 mile per set. Just replaced them at Costco (actually all 4 tires).

[kariamack]

I have the same problem to......see I was thinking maybe its the soft compound of the tire...and due to the positive traction of the rear end that is what causes it, because there is more friction in the rear ...... cause I have the same set up on my crown Vic and that car doesn't have a positive rear end and I can get way more mileage from the tires on that car then from my Marauder ? just My 2 cents

[Aren Jay]

I'm at 19000 miles and my rear tires are gone. I can't help but spin them now. Front tires are still 2/3 there. Now I have to admit I just got my Marauder 6 months ago so I have no idea how the previous driver drove it. From the looks of things this is normal though.

I'm looking at and having reviewed them the Goodyear Eagle F1 GS D3 tires look like my next tires. It rains alot up here in the summer thus I need something that works good in the wet. They also appear to require raplacing every 20000 miles.

Maybe that is the number for Marauders.

[JamesHecker]

I'm getting about 17000 miles to a set of rears. I got less than that on my first set of fronts, but since I had the alignment set at other than factory specs the fronts are wearing much better.

[Marauderjack]

Since I've had my Marauder - I average 4000 miles for a set of rear tires.

I THINK I FOUND YOUR PROBLEM......see attached photo!!!:cool::lol:

[Bigdogjim]

I run 36 unless I am takinga long trip then I drop 4 lbs to let the tires expand.(due to heat build up) I got 35 out of my first set, could have got a more but replaced them.

[Digital Man]

Just to add to everyone's comments. I put brand new tires on all around in March. Just swapped out my snows and the wear on the rears is considerable. Looks like one more season if I'm lucky.

[MENINBLK]

Don' wait for March for new tires.
Get them NOW, they will be CHEAPER.
***** They are OUT OF SEASON now and cost less. *****

Tirerack is running a special on the fronts for $79 ea,
and the rears are $149 ea.
Have them shipped to a nearby Tire Shop to have them
mounted and balanced.
I am having all 4 replaced today with an alignment to Carfixer's specs.

Ask them to inflate them to 40 psi.
MAX pressure on the BFG KDWS is 44 PSI on the sidewall.
BFG recommends you stay within 10% of that MAX pressure
for optimum wear and performance.

In 80,000 miles, I have replaced the rear tires 3x and the front tires 2x.
This is the FIRST alignment for my Marauder.
My driving is about 85% highway.

[captbrian03]

Just put the new BFG's on the rear of my MM at 50,000 miles and pumped them up to 40 PSI. They even look better on the ground. Ride a little harder but if I watch my roads shouldn't be too bad. Put 35 PSI in the front also. Car seems to roll better so I guess it's a crap shoot on the mileage but I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
thanks for the help
captbrian03






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